This invention relates to electrical connector assemblies and, more particularly, to an electrical connector assembly that has an indicator light pipe assembly associated therewith.
Electrical connectors adapted for mounting to printed circuit boards are known in the art and are commonly used for connection between two electrical communication devices. In order to ensure that a proper connection has been made and therefore a link is created between the electrical communication devices, indicators may be incorporated into circuits on the printed circuit board. These indicators are typically light emitting diodes (LEDs) which are turned on when a circuit is completed between the mating connectors and the communication devices. Additionally LEDs can be mounted on the printed circuit board to indicate a number of other conditions including the passage of communications signals between the two communication devices, indication of power, or indication that an error in transmitting the signals has occurred.
In an effort to miniaturize printed circuit boards and save board real estate, light pipe assemblies for transmitting light emitted by the LED's have been integrated into connector assemblies. One example of such a connector assembly is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,239 to Morin et al. which teaches a modular jack receptacle connector having a light pipe for transmitting light signals from an input face of the light pipe through an output face of the pipe extending along a mating face of the modular jack receptacle.
A problem arises with these connectors in that the tooling used to produce the connector housing may require modification to enable incorporation of the light pipes into the connector housing. Another problem is that incorporation of the light pipes into the connector assembly tends to increase the footprint of the connector, thereby increasing the printed circuit board “real estate” occupied by the connector.
The present invention is therefore directed to a light pipe assembly that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages and which fits either alongside a stacked connector assembly or first within the space between two connector engagement areas of a connector component and further extends forwardly from the connector component in a space between two bays associated with the connector component which receive electronic modules therein.